Is there more to a U2 show than just the four members of the Irish band? Billy Joel says there's more than meets the eye. During a lecture and performance this week at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, Joel told the crowd that "Bono's gonna kill me for this..." before saying that when he attended a U2 show in New York he learned that additional musicians were underneath the stage supporting the quartet. U2's use of supporting players, not unlike Pink Floyd during the 70s, has long been rumored but never openly reported. The U2 camp has not commented on Joel's bombshell.

Not news to me. There's only one guitar player in the band, yet in every show we hear multiple guitars. There is no keyboard in the band, yet we hear keyboards during U2 shows. Pretty much a closed case there.

That why U2 is such a wimp band. Bono is interesting and seems good for the world but as a rock band? I always though they sucked after Streets with no Name and One. But this news, if true, really kills it all for me. Bye U2! peace.

BILLY JOEL OUTS U2 LIVE ACT.... The U2 camp has not commented on Joel's bombshell

Is this really a "bombshell"?... more like a firecracker.. lady finger?

People have been doing this reinfroced stage sound for years... Look at Rush, there is no way can they reproduce all those sounds in their songs with 3 people live on stage.

I am not U2 fan... Heck the more I know em, hera em...the less I like em.... U2 is like taco bell they have 3 songs(ingredients) and rework them in to 25 menu items..... but as far as extra people, tape, Blondie back stage etc etc... the only band I ever heard say anything about it was Tom Schultz of Boston. VERY unusually at the end of the show Tom said "Every sound you heard tonight was produced by someone you see on this stage." It was an odd moment, for me anyway.

Should bands, performers, all artist be required to state on a disclaimer handed to those in attendence, what is what... and who is who.... and yadda yadda yadda?

This has been known for years. It really became a machine with ZOO TV. U2 used recorded parts/recordings and samples of recordings to support various parts of whatever songs, Trying To Throw Your Arms Around The World being a great example. Some of them were triggers from the drums, others were cued by technicians and some were played by the guitar tech, for example, a wah-wah pedal while Edge walked around. They've never not admitted it, they've just never made a point to talk about it.

It's funny, because it's true. But in The Edge's defense, he freely admits it. In "It Might Get Loud" he flat out says he's not a great guitarist and that he relies on effects pedals, and demonstrates one U2 "riff" with the effects turned on, then turns it off showing what he's actually playing and how simple it is. If he really believed he were some guitar God I might be a little more put off by him, but he's pretty humble. At least as far as his technical skill is concerned.

QuoteJah Paul
Billy's correct...U2's keyboard player under the stage is Terry Lawless.

Terry Lawless has been playing backing keyboards for U2 on the last 3 tours going back to 2001. He has a keyboard station set up underneath the stage and follows the band via video monitors and headphones. They have brought him up on the stage from time to time and Bono has acknowledged him by name on occasion so it's not a really big secret...just something the band prefers to keep low-key. They found it better to have a live musician adding these extra parts rather than doing it by computer so they could have more flexibility with the tempos and song arrangements. He often counts off the tempos (similar to Chuck Levell) and triggers some of the pre-recorded backing tracks to some songs to supplement the live sound. Terry is the only additional musician that U2 uses, and I should note that Edge plays all of his onstage piano parts himself. [www.terrylawless.com]